diff --git a/tiramisu/config.py b/tiramisu/config.py
index 7ad800a..07ae837 100644
--- a/tiramisu/config.py
+++ b/tiramisu/config.py
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ class Config(object):
             self.__dict__[name] = value
             return
         if '.' in name:
-            homeconfig, name = self._cfgimpl_get_home_by_path(name)
+            homeconfig, name = self.cfgimpl_get_home_by_path(name)
             return setattr(homeconfig, name, value)
         if type(getattr(self._cfgimpl_descr, name)) != SymLinkOption:
             self._validate(name, getattr(self._cfgimpl_descr, name))
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ class Config(object):
         # attribute access by passing a path,
         # for instance getattr(self, "creole.general.family.adresse_ip_eth0")
         if '.' in name:
-            homeconfig, name = self._cfgimpl_get_home_by_path(name)
+            homeconfig, name = self.cfgimpl_get_home_by_path(name)
             return homeconfig._getattr(name, permissive)
         opt_or_descr = getattr(self._cfgimpl_descr, name)
         # symlink options
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ class Config(object):
         :returns: Option()
         """
         if '.' in path:
-            homeconfig, path = self._cfgimpl_get_home_by_path(path)
+            homeconfig, path = self.cfgimpl_get_home_by_path(path)
             return getattr(homeconfig._cfgimpl_descr, path)
         return getattr(self._cfgimpl_descr, path)
 
@@ -273,7 +273,7 @@ class Config(object):
             candidates = [p for p in all_paths if p[-len(key_p):] == key_p]
             if len(candidates) == 1:
                 name = '.'.join(candidates[0])
-                homeconfig, name = self._cfgimpl_get_home_by_path(name)
+                homeconfig, name = self.cfgimpl_get_home_by_path(name)
                 try:
                     getattr(homeconfig, name)
                 except MandatoryError:
@@ -313,7 +313,7 @@ class Config(object):
                     raise e
         raise NotFoundError("option {0} not found in config".format(name))
 
-    def _cfgimpl_get_home_by_path(self, path):
+    def cfgimpl_get_home_by_path(self, path):
         """:returns: tuple (config, name)"""
         path = path.split('.')
         for step in path[:-1]:
@@ -337,7 +337,7 @@ class Config(object):
     # ______________________________________________________________________
 #    def cfgimpl_previous_value(self, path):
 #        "stores the previous value"
-#        home, name = self._cfgimpl_get_home_by_path(path)
+#        home, name = self.cfgimpl_get_home_by_path(path)
 #        # FIXME  fucking name
 #        return home._cfgimpl_context._cfgimpl_values.previous_values[name]
 
diff --git a/tiramisu/option.py b/tiramisu/option.py
index 0cc453c..78c11a5 100644
--- a/tiramisu/option.py
+++ b/tiramisu/option.py
@@ -578,7 +578,7 @@ def apply_requires(opt, config, permissive=False):
                     raise RequirementRecursionError("malformed requirements "
                           "imbrication detected for option: '{0}' "
                           "with requirement on: '{1}'".format(path, name))
-                homeconfig, shortname = rootconfig._cfgimpl_get_home_by_path(name)
+                homeconfig, shortname = rootconfig.cfgimpl_get_home_by_path(name)
                 try:
                     value = homeconfig._getattr(shortname, permissive=True)
                 except PropertiesOptionError, err: